The atmosphere around Luc and Daf is decidedly cool. No words or glances are shared between them, and instead both of them continue onwards with their eyes turned to the ground. The sun is slowly setting in the distance, marking the end of an extra-ordinary day. "Daf… we’re setting up camp."

Daf tilts his head and turns to look at Luc. "Lady Luc? If I may, we should press onwards. We need to put more distance between us and them."

"No."

"I beg your pardon?"

"It is no use. If mother won, then we are staying separate from her for longer than we have to. If she didn’t win, we won’t be able to outrun them." Luc looks straight at Daf with a frown.

"Lady Luc, we cannot stop. We cannot merely give up like that. I’ve… I failed to protect your mother, but I won’t fail to protect you."

"But you can’t protect me. If you could protect me, we could’ve fought them back there, with mother. If you couldn’t ward me with her helping you, how do you expect to protect me on your own?"

"Is this not all the more reason to continue onwards Lady Luc? We simply must not let those fiends catch up with us." Daf’s face tense into a slight growl, and an expression of annoyance passes over his features.

"This isn’t some kind of childish denial Daf. If we don’t set up camp, we will be exhausted when they catch up with us, and thus we’ll fight even poorer than if we rest."

"You’re still brushing of why you think they’ll catch… oh. Of course. They will catch up with us because that is what you wish. You want vengeance."

"Vengeance is secondary. Leaving someone chasing us as we’re running into enemy territory is foolish. They will be able to contact their allies back in Endel if they believe we’ve avoided them. Thus when we arrive in Endel, the whole city will be against us."

Daf breathes deeply, taking a moment to compose himself. "This is not just about you Lady Luc. You may not be your mother, but you carry her heritage. Thus you hold claim to the throne, and can put a stop to the junta we have had to suffer. Do you know how many other innocent people whom have been killed because they posed some manner of threat? You can stop that. Therefore we must push onwards."

Luc shakes her head and turns away from Daf, gazing towards the horizon. "Hrm… actually yes, as something just occurred to me. Ethermancers can’t set up their demesnes on water. Something about elemental interference or something. And Powers and Order members use a lot of light when they fight. So we have a chance."

"Why do we suddenly "have a chance", Lady Luc?"

"There is a large lake not far away from here. We will set up an ambush for them, bring them out into the water and fight them there tonight."

"Fight them in the water? Tonight? I am afraid I do not follow."

"I’ll explain the details later. For now, hurry up."

¤¤¤

A faint glow notifies Luc to the approach of the assassins. The sun has long since set, and only the light of the moon provides some measure of illumination. Her heart is beating loudly, and her grip tightens around the hilt of her sword. Daf was initially reluctant to agree to the plan, but Luc proved to be far more stubborn than him, and he finally yielded. Now, upon noticing the approach of the aslaran and loboshigaru, she glances out at the lake before her. Out there, barely visible on the black surface, she can see Daf. His grey fur makes him a bit more noticeable than she appreciates, but it will have to do. She dives back behind the bush and readjusts her scabbard. With her hands free, she waits, and waits, glancing through the undergrowth for the steadily approaching light. As their footsteps come closer, she inhales slowly and calmly, trying to quiet even her breath. She does not have to wait long. The sound of trees creaking and a loud bell ringing echo through the night, and Luc springs to her feet. It takes her but a moment to realize that the Loboshigaru has stepped into the pit trap she prepared, and before either of his companions can help him out, Luc dashes towards them. She grabs ahold of the aslaran and carries him with her as she dashes out onto the surface of the lake, kept afloat by her waterwalking enchantment. She managed to carry all the way to Daf before she collapses down, both her and the aslaran falling flat on the ground. Daf seizes this opportunity and stomps roughly on the head of the aslaran, sending him diving into the depths of the lake.

"Keep him occupied Daf. I’ll take care of the loboshigaru and his Power."

Daf nods as he begins to strum his lyre, and a pleasant tune flows from the instrument. The sound fills Luc with confidence, and she pulls her sword with a certain grip. The quick footsteps of the loboshigaru and Power can be heard as they rush over the water towards Luc. A blast of light erupts from the palm of the loboshigaru, but Luc neatly sidesteps the attack and return the favour by lunging forwards. Her sword cleaves downwards upon the loboshigaru, and he howls as she hacks into his abdomen. She lifts her sword to attack again, but a burst of bright light explode in her face, stunning her for a moment as she staggers backwards to gather her senses again. The blast of light is followed by a large sphere of something heavy striking her in the gut, and she pulls a vial from her bandolier to take a sip from. The soothing elixir flows through her body, and the pain quickly fades away. With her sight regained, she finds herself facing the Power. Luc quickly swipes her sword towards the Power, but the cosmic being lifts her hands up to shield herself, and the sword bounces of the brass bracelets, thus failing to do any harm. The Power then reveals her palm, but before she can release another blast of bright light, Luc lunges forward, head-butting the Power in the chin. Luc then swings her sword one more time, cleaving across the chest of the Power. The sword carves into the spiritual flesh, but the Power pulses with light, and the wound begins to close again immediately. Luc growls as she takes a step backwards, only to bump into the loboshigaru. He puts his palm on her back and releases a yet of cosmic fire directly into her. Luc screams in pain and staggers forward, again pulling out a potion of healing to soothe the pain. He lifts his arms again and brings them down towards Luc, sending a dazzling ball of sparkling yellow light towards Luc. But before the ball of energy reaches her, Luc reaches out, grabs the waist of the Power behind her and quickly tosses the Power towards the ball of energy. The Power takes the attack head on, and she goes tumbling along the surface of the lake. The face of the loboshigaru makes it clear that he is surprised, but he does not let that stop her, as he incants a litany of pain upon Luc. While she is stunned by the pain, he sends another ball of crackling energy towards Luc. Knowing that she can’t move, Luc is resigned to take the attack, but it never comes. Before the ball of energy can strike Luc, the Power places herself between the loboshigaru and Luc and blocks the attack with her bracelets.

"What the." The loboshigaru says, dumbfounded. "What are you doing? Move out of the way." He orders, but the Power shakes her head. She steps forward quickly and plants both palms on the chest of the loboshigaru, firing of a bolt of energy with enough force that it sends him flying backwards into his aslaran friend, and then sends the two of them even further away.

"We must hurry." The Power grabs Luc’s wrist in a firm grip. "I can think clearly now, so don’t object." Before Luc can even mouth a response, the Power hovers above the water. She flies towards an equally dumbstruck Daf and grabs him in her other free hand before she flies off into the sky with the two of them.